Rapper Tha Realest
has become the latest artist to leave Suge Knight’s Death Row Records imprint
and recently inked a deal with Omerta Entertainment/Tommy Boy.
The Oakcliff, Texas native
said he suffered numerous setbacks while recording for Death Row, including
getting shot in front of a recording studio in 1999.
With his release secured,
the rapper said he hopes his long awaited debut album Witness Tha Realest
will push him to the forefront of Hip-Hop.
"They say: ‘good things
come to those who wait.’ The position I was in at Death Row wasn’t right for
me,” Tha Realest said. “I didn’t always get the due credit I believe
I deserved and I finally got out of that deal. I put so many songs on Witness
Tha Realest
because so many people have been waiting so long for my CDto drop. You won’t have to fast forward through any of the songs on the CD.”
The rapper made his debut
on the platinum "Gang Related" soundtrack in 1997, under the name
Tenkamenin. In 1999 he changed his name to Tha Realest.
His debut album features
an all-star cast of Hip-Hop artists, including Fat Joe, Dub C, B-Legit, Aaron
Hall, Ritchie Rich, Dru Down, Napoleon, Devin Tha Dude, C-Bo, Swoop G, Val Young,
and Kola Locc.
“You’re gonna’ have
to give me an hour and ten minutes of your time when you listen to this CD,”
The Realest explained. “I’m not about to give you only three songs worth
listening to, $15 is lunch money for a lot of kids. With Witness Tha Realest,
I’m a holla at you. I’m going to give you something that you can knock for a
while man. Value for your dollar is long overdue in today’s music market.”
The first single from the
album is "Sumthin Like A Pimp," which features contributions from
Devin Tha Dude and Dru Down.
Witness Tha
Realest hits stores July 12 on Omerta Entertainment/Tommy Boy.
